The present invention relates to electronic apparatuses, external adjustment devices for the electronic apparatuses, and adjusting methods for the electronic apparatuses, and more particularly, relates to an electronic apparatus having a timing device, such as an analog timepiece or a digital timepiece, or various sensors incorporated therein, to an external adjustment device for this electronic apparatus, and to an adjusting method for the electronic apparatus.
In conventional analog timepieces, generally, an oscillation signal of a quartz oscillator is divided by a frequency divider and, based on the divided oscillation signal, driving of a driving motor causes hands to move. Furthermore, in order to precisely time regardless of variations in ambient temperature in its operation, analog timepieces provided with a temperature-compensation function have been developed. Such analog timepieces are provided with a temperature-sensing oscillator that changes the oscillation frequency in accordance with the temperature. The frequency-dividing ratio is set based on the oscillation frequency of the temperature-sensing oscillator.
However, the oscillation frequency of the quartz oscillator is varied in accordance with characteristics of each quartz oscillator or circuit components thereof. In addition, oscillation frequency characteristics with respect to the temperature of the temperature-sensing oscillator are not uniform.
Accordingly, in a circuit block of the analog timepiece provided with the temperature-compensation function or, in a state of a movement thereof, the oscillation frequency of the quartz oscillator and that of the temperature-sensing oscillator are measured, and then compensation data is written, based on the measurement result, in nonvolatile memory. The frequency-dividing ratio is adjusted based on the compensation data. In this case, the oscillation frequency is measured by contacting a measurement probe onto a predetermined test terminal.
Since measurement of the oscillation frequency requires the measurement probe, the above-described adjustment must be performed before the circuit block or the movement is incorporated in an external casing.
However, when the circuit block is incorporated in the movement or the movement is incorporated in the external casing, since stray capacitance or stress is changed, oscillation frequency characteristics of the quartz oscillator and those of the temperature-sensing oscillator are shifted before and after incorporation. Because of this, there are problems in that the adjustment becomes inaccurate and that the product yield of products is worsened.
The present invention is made in view of the foregoing circumstances. Objects of the present invention are to provide an electronic apparatus which is capable of securing adjustment precision when it is incorporated in the movement or the external casing and which capable of achieving improvement in the degree of freedom and adjustment speed, to provide an external adjustment device for the electronic apparatus, and to provide the adjusting method for the electronic apparatus.
A first aspect of the present invention is characterized in that there are provided: a reference signal generating unit for generating a reference signal; a temperature measuring unit for measuring the internal temperature of the apparatus and generating a temperature signal; a driving unit for generating a driving signal and outputting the driving signal to a motor coil of a unit to be driven; a receiving unit for receiving a signal transmitted from the outside via the motor coil; a detecting unit for detecting a type of the signal received by the receiving unit; and an examining unit for, based on the detection result of the detecting unit, outputting, via the motor coil, the temperature signal or digital data obtained by converting the temperature signal.
A second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect, thereof there are provided: a storing unit for storing adjustment data used for adjusting the frequency of the reference signal in accordance with temperature; and an adjusting unit for adjusting the frequency of the reference signal in accordance with the internal temperature based on the temperature signal and the adjustment data.
A third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the second aspect thereof, the signal transmitted from the outside includes an adjustment signal corresponding to the adjustment data.
A fourth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the second aspect thereof, the driving unit generates the driving signal based on the output signal of the adjusting unit.
A fifth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect thereof, the examining unit controls the driving unit so as to suspend driving of the motor coil while the temperature signal or the temperature digital data is output via the motor coil.
A sixth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect thereof, the examining unit selectively outputs via the motor coil a signal corresponding to the frequency of the reference signal and the temperature signal based on the detection result of the detecting unit.
A seventh aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the sixth aspect thereof, the examining unit outputs the signal corresponding to the frequency of the reference signal as the driving signal from the motor coil by disabling an adjustment operation of the adjusting unit.
An eighth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect thereof, the temperature measuring unit outputs, as the temperature signal, a temperature-sensing oscillation signal whose frequency varies in accordance with the internal temperature of the apparatus.
A ninth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect thereof, the reference signal generating unit is provided with an oscillation circuit using a quartz oscillator; and the unit to be driven is an analog timing unit in which a timing operation is performed using analog hands.
A tenth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in a external adjustment device, having a motor coil, for adjusting an external electronic apparatus, there are provided: an coil for electromagnetically coupling with a motor coil; a receiving unit for receiving a temperature signal or the temperature digital data which is a signal via the coil from the electronic apparatus; a transmitting unit for transmitting a signal to the electronic apparatus via the coil; and an adjustment signal generating unit for generating an adjustment signal based on the temperature signal or the temperature digital data received by the receiving unit and the driving signal of the motor coil received by the receiving unit, and outputting the adjustment signal to the transmitting unit.
An eleventh aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the tenth aspect thereof, there is provided a signal generating unit for generating a first signal for instructing the output of the temperature signal or the output of the temperature digital data and a second signal for instructing disablement of an adjustment operation, and outputting them to the transmitting unit.
A twelfth of the present invention is characterized in that, in an external adjustment device for adjusting an external electronic apparatus comprising a motor coil outputting a temperature-sensing oscillation signal whose frequency varies in accordance with the internal temperature of the apparatus as a temperature signal or temperature digital data obtained by converting the temperature-sensing oscillation signal; and an adjusting unit for adjusting the frequency of a reference signal in accordance with the internal temperature based on either of the temperature signal and the temperature digital signal and the adjustment data, there are provided: a coil for electromagnetically coupling with the motor coil; a receiving unit for receiving, via the coil, the temperature signal or the temperature digital data which is a signal from the electronic apparatus; a transmitting unit for transmitting a signal to the electronic apparatus via the coil; and an adjustment signal generating unit for generating an adjustment signal based on the temperature signal or the temperature digital data received by the receiving unit and the driving signal of the motor coil received by the receiving unit and outputting the adjustment signal to the transmitting unit.
A thirteenth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the twelfth aspect thereof, the adjustment signal generating unit generates the adjustment signal based on the driving signal received by the receiving unit while the adjustment operation of the adjusting unit is disabled.
A fourteenth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in an external adjustment device for adjusting an external electronic apparatus comprising a motor coil outputting a temperature-sensing oscillation signal whose frequency varies in accordance with the internal temperature of the apparatus as a temperature signal or temperature digital data obtained by converting the temperature-sensing oscillation signal; and a adjusting unit for adjusting the frequency of a reference signal in accordance with the internal temperature based on either of the temperature signal and the temperature digital signal and the adjustment data, there are provided: an coil for electromagnetically coupling with the motor coil; a receiving unit for receiving a signal via the coil from the electronic apparatus; a transmitting unit for transmitting a signal to the electronic apparatus via the coil; a frequency measuring unit for each measuring the frequency of the temperature signal received by the receiving unit, and the frequency of the driving signal received by the receiving unit while the adjustment operation of the adjusting unit is disabled; and an adjustment signal generating unit for generating an adjustment signal based on the measurement result of the frequency measuring unit and outputting the adjustment signal to the transmitting unit.
A fifteenth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in an adjusting method for adjusting an external electronic apparatus having a motor coil, there are provided: a first step of transmitting, to the electronic apparatus via the motor coil, a signal for instructing the output of the temperature signal corresponding to the temperature measured by the electronic apparatus or the output of the temperature digital signal obtained by converting the temperature signal; a second step of receiving the temperature signal or the temperature digital signal transmitted from the motor coil and sensing the temperature measured by the electronic apparatus; a third step of transmitting, to the electronic apparatus via the motor coil, a signal for instructing the start of disablement of an adjustment operation; a fourth step of receiving a driving signal transmitted from the motor coil and measuring the frequency of the driving signal; a fifth step of repeating the first step through the fourth step a plurality of times and generating an adjustment signal based on the sensed temperature and frequency; and a sixth step of transmitting the adjustment signal to the electronic apparatus via the motor coil.
A sixteenth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in an adjusting method for adjusting an external electronic apparatus having a motor coil, there are provided: a first step of transmitting a signal for instructing the start of disablement of an adjustment operation to the electronic apparatus via the motor coil; a second step of receiving a driving signal transmitted from the motor coil and measuring the frequency of the driving signal; a third step of transmitting, to the electronic apparatus via the motor coil, a signal for instructing the output of the temperature signal corresponding to the temperature measured by the electronic apparatus or the output of the temperature digital signal obtained by converting the temperature signal; a fourth step of receiving the temperature signal or the temperature digital signal transmitted from the motor coil and sensing the temperature measured by the temperature measuring unit; a fifth step of repeating the first step through the fourth step a plurality of times and generating an adjustment signal based on the sensed temperature and frequency; and a sixth step of transmitting the adjustment signal to the electronic apparatus via the motor coil.